Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport serves the biggest city in Kentucky, as well as the surrounding area. As it’s just seven miles from the city, it’s only 10 minutes by road from downtown. It’s also known as Standiford Field and Louisville International Airport.
Louisville Airport is used for military as well as commercial flights. A number of commercial carriers operate scheduled services here, mostly to and from destinations throughout the US. The airport also has several FBOs to handle private jet flights.
This Louisville International Airport guide shares all you need to know about this Kentucky airport. Also covered are the area’s attractions, which include the Muhammad Ali Center and Churchill Downs, home of the famous Kentucky Derby. Louisville is also known as the Bourbon City.
Key Information
Airport Name: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
IATA / ICAO Code: SDF / KSDF
Location: 7 miles from downtown Louisville, Kentucky
Opening times: Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is open 24 hours a day
Terminals: SDF has one terminal and three runways
FBO Information
There are two Fixed Base Operators at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. These are Atlantic Aviation and Louisville Executive Aviation, who provide a range of private aviation services. Between them, the two FBOs supply jet refueling, ground handling, and more, ensuring a slick transition for private jet passengers.
Facilities & Other Services
Wi-Fi: Free WiFi is supplied throughout Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
Lounges: There are no lounges at SDF, though there is the Bourbon Academy Tasting Room
Shopping: There are stores both before and after security at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, including beverage, clothing, gifts, news, and specialty retailers
Restaurants and Cafes: There are about five places to eat and drink before security and nine after, including coffee shops, fast food outlets, a bar and grill, and the Bourbon Academy Tasting Room
Currency Exchange: Fifth Third Bank offers currency exchange on the terminal’s upper level, and there are also ATMs at the airport
Medical Facilities: SDF airport offers access to emergency medical care
Airlines: Commercial airlines fly to and from the airport, as well as private charter airplanes
About Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is also referred to by its previous names - Louisville International Airport and Standiford Field. In fact, the latter gave rise to the airport’s IATA code, SDF.
With three runways and occupying a 1,500-acre site, Louisville Airport is a civil-military airport in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The airport is only seven miles from downtown Louisville and 10 minutes by car. It’s around a fifth of a mile from the Kentucky Exposition Center, which can be convenient for those visiting on business.
Around eight carriers serve Louisville airport, including American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United. These fly mainly to and from US destinations, such as New York, Miami, Chicago, and San Francisco.
The airport offers direct flights to over 35 destinations in total, plus indirect flights via one other hub to more than 450 US and worldwide destinations. In 2022, this increasingly popular airport dealt with nearly 4 million passengers. It also handled over 6 billion pounds of cargo in the same year.
Worldport, the United Parcel Service (US) International air-sorting hub, is based at Louisville International Airport.
Louisville Area Travel Guide
Known as the Bourbon City - or the Bourbon Capital of the World - Louisville is the biggest city in Kentucky, as well as the 24th largest in the US by area and the 28th most populous in the States. In addition to bourbon, the area is also known for the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and, of course, Muhammed Ali, after whom the airport is named.
The Bourbon Trail: As the unrivaled Bourbon City, Louisville has many fine Bourbon distilleries, including craft distilleries and long-established brands. You can visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center within the Frazier Kentucky History Museum to find out more. There’s even the Bourbon Academy Tasting Room at the airport.
Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby: The Twin Spires and the Kentucky Derby have made Churchill Downs famous. This iconic horse racing venue hosts the Derby every May, and it’s the longest-continuously running sporting event in the US. Large and elaborate hats, mint juleps, and rousing renditions of “My Old Kentucky Home” are de rigueur at this annual occasion.
Muhammad Ali Center: Louisville is for boxing fans as much as bourbon fans. The city was Muhammad Ali’s hometown, and the award-winning Muhammad Ali Center offers three levels of exhibits showcasing the champion’s legacy and core principles. As well as sporting history, the center also offers panoramic city and Ohio River views.
Other highlights: Other highlights of Louisville include the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, where baseball bats are made; the historic Belle of Louisville steamboat; Louisville Mega Cavern, where you’ll find the only fully underground zipline in the world; the Big Four Bridge dating back to 1895; and a whole lot more.
Louisville Climate: The climate in Louisville is known as moist continental. This includes hot, humid summers and relatively cold winters. Fall is the driest season, and spring is the wettest. Some cloud cover is the norm in Louisville.
Summer highs in Louisville are around 86°F to 90°F during June, July and August. Typical winter highs for December to February are in the range of 43°F to 50°F.
Temperatures in spring and fall are between the summer and winter averages, with May and September almost as warm as June and November and March nearly as cold as December and February.
Rainfall levels in Louisville are a little higher in March, April, and May, with around nine days of rain for each spring month. In summer, you can expect about six or seven days of rain and seven to eight days during winter. Early fall is slightly drier, with about five wet days in the months of September and October.
Why not travel by private jet charter to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky? If you want to benefit from the comfort, style, exclusivity, and seclusion of a private plane when visiting this part of the South, our team is available 24/7.
